Boston Bomber Lands Cover of Rolling Stone Magazine

Some Americans may have been able to put April 15^th, 2013 in the back of their minds & continue their normal lives, but many still haven’t. During the Boston Marathon two pressure cooker bombs exploded at 2:49 pm killing 5 people & injuring 280. Lives & limbs were lost, & then there are those who didn’t suffer from any type of physical injury but will be mentally traumatized for the rest of their lives.

So why is Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s (Boston bomber) picture plastered on the front of Rolling Stone magazine as if he’s some type of icon, idol, or rock star? He & his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev (deceased) set out to harm the people of our country & now he’s being glamorized on the cover of one of OUR magazines. Which the last time I checked landing a magazine cover was an honor. The cover has generated outrage among victims, their families, & even retailers. Some businesses have gone as far as refusing to sell the magazine.

After the backlash of the magazine cover occurred the senior editor of Rolling Stone tweeted “I guess we should have drawn a dick on Dzhokhar’s face or something?’ I guess he realized the huge mistake he made because the tweet was later deleted & Hoard issued an apology the following day.

Rolling Stone issued a statement Wednesday saying that the story was a part of its commitment to serious & thoughtful coverage of the most important & current political & cultural issues. The statement said “The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young & in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue & gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens.”

Wanting to cover important events & issues is understandable, but there is a tasteful & respectful way to do everything. Especially something like this, it’s a very sensitive topic. Before people will pick up a magazine & read the article inside they see the cover. The cover is what drives most consumers to buy it & having one of the “Boston Bombers”; one of the individuals who tried to decimate the people of our nation on the cover of that book is going to be offensive to most Americans. What are your thoughts on the Boston Bomber being on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine? Will you be buying it or walking past in on the stands?

- @FabAndFearless